Miller stands firm on resignation
HALIFAX — It seems Margaret Miller will have plenty to say about her decision to resign from her Hants East seat confirming a decision to step down at month's end that she announced Friday in a Facebook post.
The two-term MLA is just not ready to say it yet.
“The resignation stands,” Miller said Monday, confirming a decision she announced Friday in a Facebook post.
“At this point, I am not making any further comments,” said Miller, who was first elected in Hants East in 2013, re-elected in 2017 and served as minister of natural resources and environment minister in the Liberal government when it was led by Stephen McNeil.
Miller had earlier made it known that she would not reoffer in the next provincial election but decided to step away earlier because of her grave disappointment in the appointment of Stephen Tobin to the position of strategic initiatives director in the premier's office, now occupied by Iain Rankin.
"After hearing the news about Stephen Tobin receiving such a plum job after his atrocious behaviour, not only to me but most of the women of our caucus, I feel I have no recourse but to resign my seat effective June 1," Miller wrote in an email last week to chiefof-staff Joanne Macrae that was obtained by other media outlets.
"Stephen has treated me with repeated disrespect, and I've witnessed his behaviour with my female colleagues,” Miller wrote. “To reward such behaviour is something I cannot condone and I can't even fathom the thought process that allowed this misogynistic behaviour to happen."
Miller chose not to comment further about Tobin or the situation on Monday.
“There are more things going on and I am just going to wait until some of it unfolds and then make comments at that point,” she said.
Miller would not elaborate on or offer an example of the disrespectful interactions that she has accused Tobin of perpetrating.
“Not right now,” she said. Tobin told another media outlet last week that he would not respond to such “absurd” accusations and said he didn't know what Miller was talking about.
Questioned about the accusations by reporters at week's end, Rankin told reporters he was aware of Miller's email but has not read it and that he has “zero tolerance” for people who don't respect each other.
Rankin said since ascending to the premier's office, no issues had been brought directly to him relating to Tobin's behaviour at caucus meetings.
Rankin did not respond to a request for further comment Monday.
Miller said in her Facebook post announcing the resignation that it was “not something I thought I'd ever do but you all know I'm true to my beliefs and my word and I believe that's why many of you voted for me.”
She thanked everyone who supported her in the last eight years, including her constituency assistants, those who worked on and supported her campaigns and “the wonderful people of Hants East."
Miller sent special appreciation to “husband Robert, daughters Jeanette and Monica and even my grandchildren, who all paid a price with my workload.”
On Monday, Miller said her husband is not in good health.
“It's just a good time now for me to step back; it's just earlier than I had planned.”
She voiced support for the Liberal party.
“I think that the party is the best option for Nova Scotians and my colleagues are very hard-working and I couldn't support them more,” she said.
Michael Blois has already been elected to carry the Liberal banner in Hants East in the next provincial election but when that will be and what will happen in Hants East between June 1 and election day remains unknown.
“I don't know,” Miller said of Hants East representation in the interim. “I still have to have that conversation with the Speaker's office. We will determine what the next steps are and it will all depend on when the next election is called.”
Miller said she has spoken with Rankin about the situation and her resignation.
“I'd rather not discuss that but I will later on,” she said when asked if the premier tried to dissuade her from resigning.